The ABCs of Parenting
by Lilac088
Summary: Series of non-chronological one-shots documenting Emily Prentiss as she navigates herself through parenthood.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! I haven't written in a long while so I may be a bit rusty but I hope you enjoy. This is set sometime after S14. For the purposes of this story, Emily is a little younger than she is in the show. Also, I don't have a beta reader so I apologize for any mistakes I have missed.

This fic will be a series of pregnancy/family-related one-shots. They won't be in chronological order but all in the same universe.

* * *

JJ sighed as she glanced over her desk, case reports and various other paperwork had been multiplying by the hour and now her once tidy workspace had become a warzone. Though she was soon distracted by the arrival of the BAU's very own unit chief in the bullpen. Emily quickly made her way across the room and was tackling the stairs when she heard a familiar voice.

"Emily, what are you still doing here? Don't you have to be somewhere soon?"

Emily looked at her watch and grimaced, the prenatal class that she had promised Andrew that they would attend together was in less than an hour.

"Look I don't think I am going to make it."

The brunette was secretly glad that the director had just dumped a mountain of work on her, she was not too keen about spending the afternoon with a bunch of overly friendly and enthusiastic parents-to-be. From the moment, she had found out she was pregnant Emily had fallen in love with the idea of being a parent to the life growing inside of her. After years of an unrelenting career and various unsuccessful relationships, Emily truly felt it was a miracle that she was going to get the chance to be a mother and she had found the perfect man to share this journey with. However, while she wouldn't dare admit it to anyone, all this talk of parenting was making Emily anxious.

"I have to get this done, it is not a big deal though you don't have to attend those classes."

"No Emily you must go, here give me those." JJ signalled towards the pile of folders in Emily's hands but the unit-chief kept a tight grip and pulled away as she eyed JJ desk in the distance.

"JJ I think you have enough work to do today, your desk is in a worse state than mine and that's saying something."

Emily turned and continued walking to her office with JJ following close behind. Rolling her eyes as she noticed that the blonde agent had accompanied her into her office, Emily sat down and began writing, hoping that by looking busy her new-found shadow would leave her be. She had no such luck.

"Emily you're being stubborn, Andrew really wants to go and these classes made me feel a whole lot more comfortable when I was pregnant with Henry. You'll regret it if you don't."

Emily had taken a slightly different approach to impending parenthood than the blonde agent had. While JJ embraced pregnancy both times and read all the parenting books she could get her hands on, Emily's preparation seemed to consist of long hours in her office and ignoring the pile of baby books JJ has placed on her desk a few weeks ago. JJ figured that Emily must be either super calm or slightly in denial about her fast-approaching new role. Having never particularly associated Emily Prentiss with calmness, she suspected the latter.

"I don't see what they are going to say that I can't just work out for myself, plus I don't have time."

"Then we will make the time won't we." JJ lent forward, cheekily snatching Emily's pen from her grip.

"Agent Jareau do I have to remind you that I am your superior." Emily lightly taunted before closing the file and standing up.

Her hand rested on her stomach as her baby moved within. Despite any discomfort, she never tired of this feeling. The kicks from the baby had an almost therapeutic effect on her that lulled her into a state of serenity. In these brief moments, Emily was dead to the outside world, not having to worry about parenting books and nursery arrangements or serial killers for that matter. She knew subconsciously that she had been avoiding the prenatal classes among other pregnancy-related activities, though she didn't exactly know why. Perhaps it was her minds way of protecting her from her own deep-seated feelings of inadequacy. If she didn't read about the perfect parent she wouldn't have to compare herself to the archetype.

JJ gave Emily a disproving look and before long the assertive blonde agent and her guilt-inducing blue eyes had won and Emily conceded defeat. She knew that JJ was right, maybe this class would make her feel more comfortable.

"I don't know why you're making such a big deal about a stupid class, but I'll go if it means you will stop following me around like a lost dog all day."

* * *

From the moment, she had stepped into the room, Emily had started to feel overly self-conscious. Between the various anatomical diagrams, condensing couples and cheery bright colored chairs it was all making her feel rather vulnerable and slightly dizzy. Emily felt more at ease at crime scenes than she did here. This was not her natural environment. Not to mention she was easily the eldest here. She silently kicked herself for not taking more notice of those baby books, maybe if she had it would have been easier to hold a conversation with these other women. They were all too polished and scripted as they discussed their pregnancies and offered each other advice with painted on smiles. Was this how she was supposed to be?

"Nice to meet you Emily, so when are you due?" A petite woman dressed in a blue pastel dress asked. The class hadn't begun yet so the room was full of parents-to-be making slightly awkward conversation. The women looked down to Emily's stomach as she mentally tried to estimate how far along the professional looking women was. Having come straight from work, Emily felt she stood out in her navy pantsuit. _Shit. I should have changed. _

"Yes…in a couple of months" Emily replied after, what she thought, taking an abnormally long time to answer a simple question. _They must think I'm ridiculous._

"God, there is just so much to do isn't there. This is my third but I feel like I have completely forgotten how to look after a newborn and don't even talk to me about childbirth." The younger women laughed. "Have you worked out a birth plan yet?"

_A birth plan_. The words tumbled around her mind. No, she thought; _I do not have a birth plan. Why don't I have a birth plan_? _Should I have a birth plan? Don't you just go to the hospital? _The once open and bright room filled with smiling couples and bright colors now began to feel like an underground cave closing in around her. She could feel the heat rising throughout her body and a burning sensation behind her eyes started. She looked around desperately trying to find a source of comfort to anchor herself upon in this increasingly hostile environment. After much mental scrambling, she finally laid her eyes on Andrew.

There he was, standing with a bunch of other men completely relaxed. He looked in his element and she felt like a complete fraud among these people discussing swaddling techniques and baby car seats. Feeling a sudden and powerful urge to run, Emily excused herself and left the room. Catching the image of his partner running out the door in the corner of his eye, Andrew quickly followed.

"Emily!" Andrew yelled, lightly grabbing her arm as he caught up with her. Emily stopped and turned around with wet eyes. "What's wrong baby?"

"I can't do this Andrew."

"What can't you do? The class? Are you unwell?" He pressed, his concern growing fast.

"I can't do any of this" Emily managed to get out between erratic breaths. "I am a complete failure; I know nothing about anything and everyone will all find out soon."

"Honey you're not making any sense, where is all this coming from." He was at a loss to what had caused Emily's sudden change mood. He guided Emily down to a nearby seat.

"Look at me, I have done nothing. All those other people there have it all planned. Even you Andrew, you have it all sorted!"

"Emily you're fine, you're doing everything right. Don't get worked up about a silly class."

"No its true, I haven't read one of those books JJ left for me and I didn't want to even come today." Her mind continued to scrutinize her every thought and action over the last months. "God, Andrew I wanted to do paperwork more than I wanted to learn how to look after my own baby." The pressure in her head was overwhelming as she tried in a futile attempt to control the tears forcing themselves out from her eyes.

"Emily look at me." Andrew tried to calm his partner but to no avail as Emily continued to take fast and shallow breathes. Concerned that his very pregnant partner was about to pass out right in front of him, Andrew took hold of her warm hands.

"Just focus on breathing with me, in and out…1…2…3" Emily obeyed and they locked eyes as her breathing returned to normal. The tension she had been holding in for weeks started to leave her body. Content that Emily was no longer hyperventilating he pulled her into a hug and was relieved when he felt her body relax into his. His warm body and familiar touch momentarily sending Emily to a place of tranquillity. After a few moments of silence, Emily regained some of her composure and released herself from his protective hold.

"I'm sorry. I just…I love this baby so much and I am scared that I am going to muck everything up. I am not like those other women."

"Emily, I could not think of a single other person I would rather be doing this with." With one hand caressing her thigh, he brought a gentle thumb up to her cheek and wiped away the tears. "You're perfect Emily and you will be the perfect mother to our child no matter what."

Moving his hand to lay on her rounded bump, both mom and dad smiled as his touch was met with a series of soft kicks within. This was their baby. Their perfect family. Their future.

"You see, even this little one here knows what an amazing mom you are going to be."

A soft smile fell upon Emily's lips_. Maybe, just maybe I can do this. We can do this._

* * *

A/N; Thank you so much for reading, I apologize if it was crap but this idea would not leave me alone so I had to write it down. Please review if you can!


	2. Chapter 2

Hello! First of all sorry for the really-really-really long absence. I have been quite busy but have found some time to write. This is just another little one-shot (in the same universe as the previous chapter) that came to mind. Enjoy! And please review if you feel inclined :)

* * *

If you had told Emily Prentiss ten years ago that at 43 she would be sat on the bathroom floor of a third-rate hotel, in an isolated Nevada town, on an 80-degree night, waiting for a plastic stick to reveal her future she would have laughed.

But this was exactly what she was doing right now. And she wasn't laughing.

In fact, she was experiencing just about every other emotion in the book than hilarity at this moment. Though she thought it was sure to follow. But right now, the idea that she was possibly pregnant was quite the sobering distraction from finding any amusement in the sheer ridiculousness of her current predicament. And it was ridiculous.

First of all, a mere paper-thin wall away was a snoring Agent Rossi. Turns out the FBI aren't too great at hotel bookings and she had drawn the short straw. Or as Reid had put it, taken one for the team. Any other case she may have coped but attempting to mentally and physically hide her current personal crisis was proving rather difficult. Not to mention extremely awkward. This lack of privacy had led her to where she was now, taking a pregnancy test at 3 am while trying to make zero noise.

Secondly, obtaining the pregnancy test had been a trial in its self. The small mining town had only one local pharmacy and as Emily has discovered it was partly owned by local busy-body Lacey who had taken an interest in the case that they were working. After all, it was not every day that the FBI came to town and seeing the boss of the team nervously purchasing a pregnancy test was just the icing on the cake for Lacey. She couldn't believe her luck, all the gossip she had collected was overwhelming.

Lastly, she cursed at herself for getting into this situation in the first place. Here she was, in her 40's in charge of a prestigious team and in a semi-new relationship that surely wouldn't survive a miniature human thrown into the mix. Babies weren't meant to be phase two of a relationship, they were for couples who at least slept under the same roof. It wasn't that she didn't want children, it was just that she had accepted at some point that perhaps her lifestyle was not suited to the amount of time and stability that raising a child needed. Before Doyle, settling down and starting a family was something she had taken for granted but that natural progression of her life had been abruptly snatched from her grip some time ago. Turns out covert operations, bureaucracy and serial killers can wreak havoc on one's personal life.

Emily sighed as she glanced to her watch, two long minutes had finally passed. Feeling not too dissimilar than when she was 15 in Italy, her sweaty skin stuck to the cold tiles as she leant forward and reached for the test.

The universe had decided. Emily Prentiss was going to be a mom.

* * *

Emily didn't sleep at all that night. After a few minutes, a startled Emily had hidden the test at the bottom of her suitcase and returned to bed. In between the tossing and turning, Emily's mind was occupied with thoughts and images of her and Andrew playing happy families. Maybe, this wasn't such a disaster. But the pragmatic side of her wouldn't stop reminding her what an idiot she was. Suddenly irritated by the motels less than soft mattress and insistent buzzing noise of the AC in the room, she focused on the fact that they were leaving tomorrow. Somehow she thought that maybe once she was back in DC this would all go away.

_You fool, you are still going to be pregnant._

This early morning rumination was abruptly stopped when Emily bolted from her bed towards the bathroom. Unsteady on her feet she tripped over her suitcase, landing with a loud thump on the hard carpet floor. There was no chance Rossi would sleep through this now.

"Prentiss, what on earth?" Rossi was standing over the brunette agent with a confused look on his face. Barely awake he struggled to come up with the sequence of events that had led to Prentiss laying at the foot of his bed cursing in pain. Suddenly Emily jolted upright as if she had just remembered something important and continued her journey to the bathroom.

Rossi quickly followed and was met with the unpleasant sounds of retching and coughing. Having known the female agent for as long as he had, he knew she wouldn't appreciate him hovering over her at this moment. Emily Prentiss was fiercely independent and this was a moment of weakness she wanted no witnesses too. Deciding that her privacy was more important at this moment, Rossi slowly retreated and decided to get some fresh air outside while Emily attempted to get herself together.

Around 20 minutes later, a put-together looking Prentiss emerged from the motel room, suitcase in tow.

"You all right Kid?"

"Yep fine" Emily replied quickly. "I'm obviously not too good in this heat."

Rossi smiled and fiddled with his ring as he watched Emily dig through her bag as she searched for the keys to the SUV below.

"By the way, Matt just called. A Mrs Lacey Taylor came by the station this morning as they were packing up with some homemade cookies."

"How lovely." Emily vacantly replied, becoming increasingly annoyed with the mountains of paper and other miscellaneous items in her bag obstructing access to her keys.

"She also wanted to pass on a message to the enigmatic female agent that was at her store close to midnight last night purchasing a pregnancy test. She hopes the result was good news. "

Emily instantly froze at Rossi's words; she could feel her cheeks warm with a mix of anger and embarrassment. An unpleasant pressure began to build her chest. _God, I'm going to be sick again._

"I have no idea what she is talking about." Emily quickly moved to change the subject, not too keen on the idea of a heart to heart with Rossi on the motel's balcony regarding the state of her womb. "Anyway, we slept in. The jet takes off in an hour so you better get ready. I'll see you at the airport."

_This is exactly what I need. _Emily thought as she left. _The whole damn team privy to my current personal crisis._

She was halfway down the staircase when she heard the older agents voice again.

"Congratulations Prentiss."

* * *

Hope this wasn't too bad. Apologies for any errors in spelling. Also, if you have any ideas for some other one-shots in this series I would be very happy to receive them!


	3. Chapter 3

The early morning bustle encircled her with FBI agents chatting away and swiftly making their ways to their respective floors. However, none of that was registered by Emily Prentiss. She walked slowly across the foyer of the building towards the elevator, lost in her own happy little world. A relatively new world that came complete with her very own little human. Emily was solely focused on the bundle of warmth cuddled up against her chest as she reached for the elevator button and pressed. That bundle of warmth was a week old today and stealing the hearts of those all around her, most of all her parents. Every morning Emily and Andrew would wake up and waste no time moving across the room to where their little girl lay. They just couldn't wait to see her each morning. Even if they had spent the previous night being continuously woken by her cries. Amelia had changed their life in a way they never thought possible. Once by her crib, the gushing parents would watch over her for a few minutes before the day started. The two unable to suppress their large smiles as their new daughter slept in her wooden crib fitted with a bunny patterned cotton sheet. It was a present from Garcia, who had stopped at nothing to ensure that the little girl got the best of everything, including premium organic cotton linen with a hefty price tag.

Amelia was a happy baby. She cried for feeds and demanded attention like all newborns but she had an inquisitive and peaceful nature to her. At least that is what the nurse who helped delivered her said. Though Emily wondered if she said that to all new parents. The baby girl was unbothered as the elevator door closed and started to lift, simply opening her big brown eyes towards her mother. Emily smiled back at her daughter, gently wiping away the bubbles that had formed around her mouth. Part of her missed having Amelia inside of her. Emily had to admit that she felt somewhat empty after she was born. Not a sad empty. She loved having her daughter in the world with her but Emily had grown to love being pregnant and missed it. Her daughter's movements from within would ease any worries Emily had in an instant, anchoring her to the present moment and filling her heart with love. As the elevator travelled up the building, Emily's mind wondered back to the days leading up to Amelia's birth. In the last few weeks of her pregnancy, the baby had become less active, which had concerned Emily at first but her obstetrician had told her that it was very normal as the baby grew to be full term. There was limited space in there after all. In the morning before her labour properly began, Emily's mind was a frenzy of excitement mixed with anxiety about what the future would bring.

_Where they ready to be parents? Would her baby love her?_ _Was she going to be a good mom? _

Memories of her own childhood amplified her worries. Emily had no doubts that her own mother loved her very much but Elizabeth had always been career-focused and somewhat absent. She still was.

_Was she about to make the same mistakes? _

Amelia must have sensed her mother's unease and began to wriggle around. While it was a magical feeling, Emily thought it looked almost alien as she watched the baby-sized lump protruding from her stomach shift from one side to the other. Slightly alarmed, Emily had smoothed her hand over her large bump in an attempt to settle the unborn child when a tiny foot pressed against her palm as if to let her know everything was going to be okay. From that moment on, Emily knew that no matter what the world threw at her, with her daughter she could face anything. Now out and safe in her mother's loving arms, Amelia kicked her little foot against Emily's stomach once again snapping Emily's mind back to the present.

There was a ding and the elevator door opened to reveal the BAU. Emily stepped out feeling a little more self-conscious than she thought she would. The team had already seen the new family at the hospital when they arrived shortly after Amelia's birth, flowers, balloons and presents in hand. However, this was the first time Emily had been in the building since she had left on maternity leave all those months ago. Actually, it was the first time that she had properly left the house in a week, minus some short walks around the neighborhood with Andrew and the baby. This morning had consisted of her mainly agonizing over what to wear. Nothing felt right. She didn't want to turn up in the track pant and singlet combo that she had been living in for the last week. New mom or not, this was the FBI and while she wasn't here to work she still wanted to look somewhat presentable. Especially in front of the agents not directly on her team.

Settling on a casual-professional look that was slanted far more towards the casual side, Prentiss walked through the bullpen wearing a breastfeeding-friendly navy blue top with a grey cardigan and black pants made from comfortable stretchy cotton. Wrapped over her shoulders was a baby sling holding her daughter who was sporting a simple but adorable pink onesie and matching beanie. Her classic Prentiss style black ankle boots clicked against the floor as she tried to locate any of the team in the bullpen to no avail. It was still early in the morning and there were few agents around who she shared brief smiles with as she passed by but none of her direct team. Finally, she caught a glimpse of them in the round room. Emily suddenly wished Andrew was here with her, the proud father had wanted to come and show off his new daughter but even on paternity leave he had to visit his office this morning to collect some paperwork. Despite this, Emily and Andrew had been extremely glad that they had gotten a week of uninterrupted family time together. A rarity when it came to the nature of their FBI jobs where you were never fully off duty. For the past week, it had pretty much been just the three of them and it was wonderful.

An excited gasp from Penelope Garcia was heard as the blonde noticed mother and baby making their way up the stairs. Emily immediately felt at home as she entered the room to be met with seven huge smiles ready to obsess over the baby in her arms.

"Oh my god you're here! She's here!" Garcia practically squealed at the sight of the baby which she had aptly nicknamed 'mini Em' but quickly contained her excitement at the thought of upsetting the week-old girl. Amelia, however, was unfazed by the animated woman decked out in a sparkly blue dress gushing over her.

Garcia was right to call Amelia a mini Emily. The girl had been born with a full head of raven black hair and dark brown eyes with long eyelashes that would pull at anyone's heart. Everyone agreed that Amelia was extremely cute for a newborn that had just spent the last nine months cramped in her mother's stomach.

"She's changed so much since I last saw her." JJ spoke as she approached the baby and gently stroked the girl's face who responded with a determined yawn.

"I know, I can't believe it's been a week already" Emily couldn't help but smile as she looked down at her baby daughter. The girl was wide awake and watching her mother's face closely for comfort in this new environment. Noticing her little girls face starting to scrunch up, Emily placed a finger in her daughter's mouth allowing the child to latch on and suck which appeared to calm her.

"The first few weeks are always a bit of a blur but they were some of the most special weeks of my life." JJ replied, fondly remembering when her babies were the same size as Amelia. While she and Will had decided against any further children, feeling that their family was complete, she couldn't deny that she missed having a baby around the house.

"You're looking really well too." JJ beamed at her friend, she was ecstatic that Emily now got to experience motherhood. Something the blonde profiler new her friend has always yearned for. She remembered back to the conversation she and Emily had had on the jet all those years ago. JJ had always seen the potential of Emily as a mother and she was right. Motherhood suited Emily Prentiss well.

"Who wants to a have a hold?" Emily questioned as she began maneuvering Amelia out of her sling. Garcia quickly offered to be the first and before she knew it, the delicate girl had been carefully placed in her arms. While never feeling a need for children of her own, Penelope loved babies and happily took the role of aunty, relishing in spoiling all her children.

Baby Amelia cooed as she was passed around her BAU family, taking an intense interest in all of them with her wide eyes. Emily wasn't quite sure what her daughter was so interested in considering babies at that age could only see contrast but nonetheless Amelia seemed content. Though by the time she got around to Rossi, Amelia had started fuss a little as she squirmed in the older man's arms. With her tiny arms and legs flailing about, the rest of the team all shared a laugh at Rossi's expense, joking that the little girl wasn't a fan. Though Emily suspected it was more about her feeding time fast approaching. Emily took her daughter back into her arms where she settled down immediately upon contact with her mother's familiar skin. The team talked for a while longer, filling Prentiss in on the current FBI workplace gossip as she gently rocked her baby girl in her arms.

For once in Emily's life, everything was _perfect_.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I apologize for any spelling/grammatical errors. I intend to keep writing these little one-shots (hopefully they are not too awful) and updating when I can.

Please do leave a review, I really appreciate them.


	4. Chapter 4

Bit of a short chapter but I hope you still enjoy it nonetheless. Apologies for any grammatical or spelling errors.

* * *

Six hours had passed. At first, they had been worried that it was happening awfully fast. _Too fast._ But their doctor had assured them that, while things were progressing quickly, everything else was perfectly textbook. Though a little sped up than what was expected, everything was just as it should be. Even with this reassurance, the thought continued to linger uncomfortably in the back of Emily's mind. She couldn't quite accept that nothing would go wrong.

_When had her life ever been textbook?_

Her pregnancy had been rather uneventful. There had been no problems or dramatics. This was something that she was not used to at all. And instead of letting herself fully relax, with every day that passed without issue, Emily's mind became increasingly convinced that she was due for some bad luck. That something horrible was about to happen. Years of living on the cusp of danger had put Emily onto high alert when it came to any part of her life. Despite her trepidation, fate had decided that, for once, everything could go perfectly to plan in Emily Prentiss' life. As the clock neared six in the evening and the final strokes of sunlight crept into the room, Emily and Andrew found themselves moments away from meeting their child.

Andrew thought he was fully prepared for this. After all, this wasn't his first time as the father-to-be. However, he wasn't turning out as cool-headed as he wanted to be. He struggled to remain in one spot, his anxious energy translating into the occasional pace around the room. Though he was adamant that he would remain as together as possible for Emily. He did and Emily took comfort in having him by her side. Andrew watched on as the hours passed with an intoxicating mixture of love, amazement, and nervousness. He had found this experience vastly different from Keely's birth. If anything he had been calmer then than now. Both were magical but Andrew was somewhat astounded by how composed Emily had remained, especially as they now approached the end. He knew she had her concerns, but to him, it was almost like she had done this a thousand times before.

Though behind her focused exterior, Andrew could see the pain even if she didn't voice it. Emily felt as if her insides were being violently ripped apart. It may have been shaping up to be a quick labor, but she needed it to be over and soon.

"It hurts" Her voice was barely audible. Excluding the rare occasional pained groan or escaped cry, this was the first time she had given any vocal indication that she was suffering. Andrews's heart leaped to his throat as he noticed her cheeks glistening under the lights. She was crying. He let her grip his hand as he continued to speak words of encouragement.

Andrew hoped she wasn't holding back anything. He wanted to be there for her, already feeling helpless as things were. Her labor had progressed too quickly, they'd missed the chance for an epidural, something they'd discussed. He knew it had been something she wanted. But Emily had barely complained when told it was no longer possible. Andrew wasn't totally surprised by her reaction, he knew that this was what she did to cope. She needed to block it all out. He had learned that Emily was never overly forthcoming with emotions when it came to herself. So they had developed this almost unspoken manner of support. She knew he was right there and ready when she needed him.

And she did need him. Right now and he was here. Everything was perfect.

To her own surprise, she was doing fine.

_Everything was fine. _

The doctor briefly looked up and noticed the familiar look of shock that had fallen upon Andrew's face. She smiled as the man opened his mouth to speak, already anticipating the question.

"Is that?" Andrew asked. The doctor simply nodded in response before returning her focus to Emily.

"I can see the baby!" He announced his voice somewhere between excitement and panic. He turned his head back towards Emily who had barely registered his words. By this point, she had fallen into her own world of pain and exhaustion. Andrew moved his body closer to her, rubbing his free hand up and down her back and placing a tender kiss on her temple. "Sweetheart, you're so close." He whispered into her ear.

Emily's chin was pressed tightly down against her chest. She momentarily opened her eyes upon hearing Andrews's soothing voice in her ear. It wasn't long before the pain of another contraction forced them to shut again, but she was able to get the smallest glance at what he was talking about. Her baby. Her baby was right there. At this realization, Emily felt a desperate urge to have her baby near.

"One more time Emily, that's all." The doctor encouraged and within minutes a strong cry pierced the room.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed but all of a sudden Emily felt a warm weight being placed onto her bare chest. The crying almost immediately ceased as the newborn found their mother's skin. There were various voices as people shuffled around her but Emily was entirely focused on the tiny body now lying on top of her. She could feel every moment the newborn was making against her skin. The rise and fall of their small chest. Emily gently brushed her hand over her baby's damp head of hair. Andrew and Emily's eyes were fixed on the newborn, taking in every perfect feature as the world blurred around them.

The button nose. The Ten tiny fingers. The pink pursed lips.

"It's a girl" Emily spoke breathlessly after finally registering what the doctor had announced a moment before.

"I'm so proud of you." Andrew smiled, holding Emily tighter as he moved to place his hand on the back of his daughter. He was almost scared to do so, she was so tiny and precious, but the feeling, once he did, was indescribable. Andrew through his heart would explode.

Emily looked up at Andrew, barely able to stop even more tears from escaping. She saw the look of complete and utter love in his eyes as he gazed at their daughter. A father's love. She couldn't believe that they had created this together. Something so wonderful.

"She's a girl" Emily repeated. It almost didn't seem real. "We have a daughter."

* * *

Please do let me know if you would like to see more of this series or not.


	5. Chapter 5

"Dog!" A small but demanding voice came from behind the kitchen counter. Emily turned around in search of the source and spotted a little foot, dressed in a red-spotted sock, poking out from the corner.

Emily sighed. Not quite as to when Amelia had joined her. She thought that there were probably better places for a nearly three-year-old to be than sitting on the kitchen floor, but it would have to do for now.

_Where had Andrew disappeared to anyway?_

"Mommy will read you the dog book in a minute sweetheart!" She called out, turning her attention back onto dinner in front of her. If Emily never had to hear the word dog again it would be too soon.

It was Amelia's latest and only obsession; a hand-illustrated children's book describing all the fun activities one could do with their dog and Emily had read it through more times than she ever wanted to. Yet the young girl never tired of it. To make matters worse, the 'dog book' could only be read by mommy. Amelia had not taken kindly to Andrew's over-exaggerated character voices. That one had hurt Andrew a little. Though he'd never admit to it.

"No book. Dog!" Amelia said, as she stood up and walked towards Emily.

Emily quickly finished what she was doing and turned the stove off. She reached down to pick her daughter up and leaned back against the counter.

"You don't want the dog book tonight?" She asked.

_Finally_, Emily thought. Maybe they could move on to a new book now. Preferably one without dogs.

"Want dog. My dog!" Amelia said, her voice eager.

_Oh god. She wants a dog._

"I'm not too sure about that honey," Emily said. "What about a cat?" She tried to bargain, though realistically neither were an option at the moment in their current apartment. There was a strict no-pet rule in the building.

But at least Emily liked cats. Dogs not so much.

"No." The girl frowned. Emily knew this was bound to happen. She should have bought her a cat book instead.

"There's my little girl!" Andrew said as he walked into the kitchen. He mouthed 'sorry' as he made eye contact with Emily. "You've got to stop running off like that missy. Here, you left monkey behind." Andrew handed his daughter the soft toy.

But she took little interest in the plush animal. "Dog!" Amelia exclaimed instead.

"She wants a dog." Emily spoke, her face showing visible annoyance.

"Like book." Amelia told her dad as she reached out to him.

"You want a dog?" He asked taking Amelia from Emily's arms and balancing her on his hip. "I think we can make that happen, darling."

Amelia cheered while Emily gave him a sharp look.

_What was he doing? Promising a dog! Since when?_

"Andrew! We can't have a dog in the apartment. You know that." Emily berated.

"Well, maybe we will have to move then." He continued. "Buy ourselves that nice big house."

"For a dog?" Emily said. "You want me to pack up our whole home and move for a dog?" Her voice was void of any form of amusement.

"Don't get too excited about it Emily." Andrew joked.

For a moment he thought she wasn't going to take his tease well and hoped he hadn't inadvertently initiated an argument.

She eventually rolled her eyes and replied. "Dogs are a lot of work. Nice big house or not."

Emily brushed a stray curl of her daughter's face before speaking to her. "Maybe we can go and visit Roxy tomorrow. Penelope and Luke will let you play with her."

"Roxy too big," Amelia replied shaking her head.

"You're a picky one aren't you?" Emily sighed. A dog was a dog to Emily. However, she suspected Amelia was fond of the black labrador puppy that featured in her favorite book.

Amelia gave her a toothy grin as if she was confirming her mother's observation. The girl then diverted her attention to the monkey her hands as her parents continued to speak.

"She gets that from you." Andrew quipped, earning a look of mild irritation from Emily.

"Yeah, and she gets this crazy dog obsession from you." She quickly responded back.

"Come on Emily, my dog was my best friend growing up. Kids need a pet." He said, taking her free hand in his.

"I never had one," Emily argued. "Sergio was my first cat and I think I turned out just fine."

Amelia's head shot up towards her mother at the mention of a fluffy animal other than her sought after dog. "No cat. Want my dog." Her little face started to scrunch, the toy monkey was dropped and Emily knew tears were imminent.

"Amelia, don't cry," Emily spoke softly. She was too exhausted to be wrestling with a worked up toddler tonight. Amelia was always so full of energy, it was a struggle to get her into bed normally, nevermind in the midst of a tantrum.

"Shhh, don't worry Amelia" Andrew spoke. The young girl settled down, as her father rhythmically bounced her up and down on his hip.

_Thank god, dog induced meltdown averted._

"I thought we were on the same page about this. The house. Not the dog." He asked, slightly confused as to her sudden aversion to the idea of a new home.

They'd been discussing the possibility of them moving on from this apartment. They felt that it was time for something more family suitable. Amelia was an active little girl, and while they were in close proximity to a local park, the idea of their own backyard was tempting. Ever since Amelia had been born their life had slowly shifted to a more domesticated version. They still had their respective careers and weren't about to give them up, but priorities had changed. Settling down somewhere more permanent made sense at this stage of their lives and it wasn't as if they didn't have the money.

"You don't want to get a house anymore?" Andrew asked.

"No, I do. I do." Emily smiled, brushing her hand over Amelia's head.

"Then what is it?" He questioned, squeezing her had and prompting her to voice whatever the problem was.

"Nothing. I'm just tired. It's been a long day" Emily moved closer to them, placing a hand on her daughter's back. "But you do realize that now she is never going to stop talking about that damn dog?"

Andrew laughed. "Well think of it this way, if we get her the dog we may be able to convince her to find a new bedtime story," Andrew said.

He was right. "I guess we are getting a dog then. And a house!" Emily said.

"I get a dog?" Amelia asked, eyes wide with curiosity and excitement.

"Yeah, we will get you a dog," Emily said. Her daughter's happiness at the prospect filled her with a warm feeling of love that was worth any dog. Even for an adamant cat-person such as Emily Prentiss.

"But you may have to wait a little while," Andrew added. "Mommy and Daddy have to find you a dog first."

Surprisingly, Amelia wasn't bothered by that. "Ok." She said.

"Thank you," Emily said.

"For what?" Andrew asked. "Forcing you to get a dog?" They both chucked.

"Being you" Emily leaned in to kiss him. Their daughter mumbling as she was gently squished between them.

* * *

Apologies if there were any spelling/grammatical errors. Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you for reading.


	6. Chapter 6

This one follows on from chapter 2. Apologies in advance for any spelling/grammatical errors.

* * *

Andrew watched the water in the saucepan as he waited for it to start to bubble. Pasta was on the menu for the third time this week. He wasn't an awful cook, but when alone he struggled to make the effort. Though that had started to change recently as he no longer found himself setting the table for one each night. And this wasn't because his daughter was spending the weekend with him.

_Emily_. It had become an almost routine part of their relationship that after a case they would regroup at one of their apartments. If physically possible that was. They both shared demanding jobs, annoyingly incompatible work schedules, and a lack of time for anything personal. Though Emily more than him seemed to suffer from the latter. Nonetheless, Andrew thought, after all these months they were still here. They had made it work.

It was a Friday and he was aware that Emily was flying back tonight. He quickly checked his cell again for a message. She'd usually text that she was coming over. He hadn't received a text tonight, hence the pasta, but he hoped that maybe she would come over later. He found himself missing her.

Despite their lives as FBI agents, the two did manage to spend an impressive amount of time together. Almost rivaling a pair of lovesick teenagers in high school. And last month he had come to the conclusion that he never wanted it to end.

It was a strange feeling and one that he had, in a way, resigned himself to thinking he would never experience again. He hadn't been unhappy before Emily entered his life, but he was just _so_ much happier now. They both were and there had been talks about eventually living together. He wanted things to be more permanent between them. Though there was the niggling doubt in his mind that maybe she wasn't looking for that sort of commitment.

Slightly distracted by thoughts of Emily and marriage, Andrew didn't notice the pot of water boiling over. He was rather rudely returned to reality with hot liquid being spat at his hand from the stove. He turned down the flame and was ready to add the spaghetti when the doorbell rang.

He was met with a tired-looking Emily as he opened his apartment door. There was something different about her. Had she been crying? No. Her eyes weren't particularly red or puffy, but something was definitely off. Before he had a chance to ask she abruptly started to talk.

"We have to move in together."

Andrew frowned in confusion. "What?"

"I don't know where..." Emily put a hand to her head and walked into the apartment, placing her bags on the kitchen counter. "But we should live together. That's what people do."

"Okay?" Andrew questioned as his mind scrambled to find the context he was so obviously missing.

Emily bit down on her lip, unsure as to what to say. "I just know I'm going to stuff this up somehow!"

Andrew, while still none the wiser as to what was currently happening, was quick to notice her distress and guided her down onto the couch as he spoke.

"Emily, I have no clue what you are talking about." He sat down next to her. "You're going to have to explain this to me."

"Okay," She nodded, taking a deep breath. "I think we are going to have a baby."

Andrew was not sure what he was expecting Emily to say. He had never seen her quite like this before. Then again she had never been pregnant before with his baby.

_A baby._

"You're pregnant?" He asked.

Emily nodded. "I did the test. It's been a blur ever since and I don't quite remember how I got here, but yes.." She paused before continuing, the slightest smile creeping onto her face. "You...me...baby."

Emily found herself summarising the events of the day as much for herself as for Andrew.

"This is good news right?"

"I think so," Emily said though the shaking of her hands in his told Andrew that there was something else.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, eager to identify the problem and fix it for her. He wasn't quite sure what he was feeling, happy or somewhat terrified, but that didn't matter right now. Emily did.

"Maybe. To be honest I don't really know" She said. "I didn't expect this."

"Neither did I."

Emily nodded before furiously trying to wipe away the tears that were falling down her cheeks.

"It's ok. It's ok." Still slightly stunned by the events of the last few minutes, Andrew was surprised by how naturally the following sentence flowed out of his mouth. "Emily, look at me. I know we never talked about it. But a baby with you? If it's what you want, it's what I want too."

"I want this." She said, her voice laced with fear. "But-"

Andrew quickly cut her off. "Listen to me Emily, whatever worries that mind of yours has created, you're going to ignore them."

"Andrew.." She spoke. "I'm scared. All the things that could be wrong. There's so much we need to talk about."

He gently squeezed her hands and nodded. "And we will. But tonight, you're going to let yourself be happy about this."

* * *

"You know it's probably just a bunch of cells now. There's not exactly much there." She smiled, enjoying the warmth of his hand as it traced along her body and came to rest on her stomach.

They had come to bed a short time ago. His arms wrapped around her body as they lay on their sides next to each other. He took in the familiar fruity scent of her hair as he placed a tender kiss onto the back of her head.

"I don't care" he cupped his hand over her lower stomach and thought of her body would change over these next few months. "Our baby is there and I want to be as close as possible."

Emily fought the slight urge to roll her eyes at his overly sappy comment but soon found herself relaxing into his hold.

It all felt very surreal to her. She had let go of any expectation for this a long time ago but maybe this wasn't so scary. They could be family.

"Have you made a doctor's appointment?" Andrew asked.

"Not yet. I just got off the jet and came straight here. Straight to you." Emily placed a hand on top of his on her stomach.

"However, half the team probably will know by morning," Emily said, eyeing the look of confusion on her partner's face. "It's a long story."

"You should have called me." He said.

Emily laughed. "What? So we could have done the test over the phone?"

"Yes." He replied.

"I'd say next time but something tells me that's not likely." She said.

"You never know, we might end up with our own soccer team." He teased.

Emily raised an eyebrow and laughed. "At our age?"

"Well then, that just makes this that little bit more special." Andrew smiled.

_Special_. Emily's mind immediately became a sea trepidation; it felt like it wasn't meant for her. Soon someone would realize that she was an imposter and then it would all be taken away from her.

"I don't deserve this." Her voice was timid.

"Don't say that Emily. It's not true."

"It's just-" Emily swallowed before continuing "I don't know why it happened."

"Does there have to be a reason? Can it not just be that the universe has decided to give you something to be happy about." He replied.

"The universe and I don't have that sort of relationship," Emily said, breaking into a slight laugh.

Though Andrew could tell there was something more there. More than anxiety about the future. Something eating away at her. He only hoped that when she was ready, he would be the one able to comfort her. That he would be enough for them both.

"I love you. You know that. I am always going to be here for you and this little one." He spoke, gently stroking his thumb over the hand that lay on his own.

Emily smiled. "We both love you."

* * *

Thank you for reading. This chapter wasn't the best I feel but I hope it was still enjoyable. Let me know if you have any suggestions/one-shot ideas for this series. I have some chapters planned out and nearly finished but I am always keen to hear your thoughts :)


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